Posts for: April, 2015

Life lessons are learned in the most surprising places. This is no different for celebrities. Take, for example, Florence Henderson, an actress, singer, philanthropist, author and star of the hit television series, The Brady Bunch. As she told Dear Doctor magazine, her experience with having four impacted wisdom teeth removed — at the same time — “...only made me more aware of how important dental care is.” She continued, “This is why I have always gone every six months for a check up.”

Another important lesson we want to share is the fact that even if your impacted third molars (wisdom teeth) are not bothering you or causing any pain, you may still need to have them removed.

Why? Having a tooth submerged below the gum, pressing on the roots of other teeth is problematic; the tooth should be removed so that you can avoid major dental problems before they occur. For example, it is not uncommon for us to find an impacted third molar pressing against the roots of the adjacent second molar. Furthermore, because the enamel crown of this impacted tooth is trapped below the gum, we sometimes find an infection, gum disease or even cyst formation occurring.

Often, the best time to remove a wisdom tooth is when it is not causing any problems. This is because a painful wisdom tooth or pain in the area of the wisdom tooth may be a sign that significant damage has occurred or is occurring. It is also better to remove wisdom teeth when you are young, as young healthy people with no prior infections at the site provide the best opportunity for us to remove the tooth with no complications.

To learn more about impacted wisdom teeth, continue reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Removing Wisdom Teeth.” Or if you suspect or already know that you have an impacted wisdom tooth, contact us today to schedule an appointment so that we can conduct a thorough examination that includes x-rays. During this private consultation, we will also address any questions you have as well as your treatment options. And if you want to read the entire article on Florence Henderson, continue reading “Florence Henderson.”

When a tooth is beyond repair due to disease or injury, it may be necessary to remove it. A “simple” tooth extraction is among the most common in dentistry and certainly not the agonizing procedure depicted in common lore.

They’re referred to as simple extractions because the shape of the tooth and root allows for a fairly straightforward and uncomplicated removal. An example would be the normally cone-shaped upper front tooth that doesn’t offer a lot of resistance during the extraction process.

The process itself is fairly straightforward. Teeth are held in place by the periodontal ligament, an elastic tissue made of tiny fibers that attaches the tooth to the supporting bone. These fibers can be dislodged from the tooth with some careful manipulation — in the hands of an experienced dentist there’s a deft “feel” to the fibers loosening. Once they’ve detached, it requires little effort to remove the tooth; with the aid of local anesthesia, you won’t feel anything but a little pressure.

Immediately after the tooth is removed, we commonly insert bone grafting material in the socket to minimize bone loss until a permanent replacement like a dental implant can be installed after tissue healing. We then place sterile gauze over the site for a few minutes to control bleeding and, depending on the size of the wound opening, we may also place a few stitches to close it. We then give you instructions for caring and cleaning the site over the next few days, and prescribe antibiotics to reduce the chance of infection and anti-inflammatory drugs for any discomfort.

Although a simple extraction is a routine procedure, it’s important to perform a proper assessment of the tooth and the surrounding bone beforehand, including x-rays to determine the tooth’s exact shape and position. If we discover a complication that makes a simple extraction impractical (like multiple roots at acute angles), we may then refer you to an oral surgeon for a more complicated surgical extraction.

It’s our hope you’ll have your natural teeth for as long as you live. But if you must have one removed, you can rest assured it’s a common — and uneventful — experience.